Hiking was never fun for Van Pol when he was a child: It brought back fearful memories of his family's escape from Cambodia and into refugee camps. It wasn't until a high school field trip to a New Hampshire peak that hiking became Van's salvation.

Every year during the Loi Krathong celebration in Thailand, fiery lanterns soar through the sky. Beautiful? Yes. Dangerous? Yes. Meanwhile, an international study finds Iceland is the best place to be a woman. And a French village goes crazy every year throwing — and catching — wooden spoons, all in today's Global Scan.

In a scene right out of the US in the 1960s, thousands of Indians in Kerala province gathered for a "Kiss of Love" demonstration to protest moral policing by conservative groups in the country. Meanwhile, Japan outdoes the Scots when it comes to making single-malt Scotch. And Alzheimer's patients are finding luxurious care at a bargain price in Thailand. Those stories and more in today's Global Scan.

Edible insects are celebrated for being environmentally friendly and also potentially quite tasty. And now they're going mainstream, with the Dutch grocery store Jumbo getting ready to put them on the shelves.

Science fiction has long envisioned "tractor" beams that could grab and move physical objects using a laser or other stream of energy. Now scientists have created one, at least on a small scale. And we have some advice if you use heat in the winter. Most Brits, and many of us, apparently don't know how to use our thermostats. Also, Chinese officials go on a worldwide corruption hunt, in today's Global Scan.

The Man Booker prize for literature in English was awarded to an Aussie author for a novel inspired by his father's experiences as a Prisoner of War of the Japanese, working on the country's World War II era ‘Railroad of Death’ in Thailand and Burma.

Many a tourist to Italy has relished the country's famous pizza. But could that pizza be dangerous? An Italian TV news report says so — but the pizza industry is crying foul. That story and more in today's Global Scan.

In New Hampshire, it wasn't always this easy to get mangosteens and other produce from Asia and Africa. But with immigrant communities growing in the area, some locals are finding ways to get familiar foods from back home onto the plates of Nepalese, Bhutanese and other immigrants here in the US..

Thai democracy advocates have been stymied by their government's efforts to put a lid on any protests. But some of them took a risk this week to start a protest in solidarity with student protesters in Hong Kong.

Hiking was never fun for Van Pol when he was a child: It brought back fearful memories of his family's escape from Cambodia and into refugee camps. It wasn't until a high school field trip to a New Hampshire peak that hiking became Van's salvation.

Under pressure by the US government and American evangelicals, the Thai government has stepped up raids to rescue sex trafficking victims. The trouble is, many of the "rescued" sex workers may not have been trafficked in the first place.

Thailand has endured months of political turmoil. This week, the military decided it had enough and declared martial law. There are whispers of another military coup. Is Thailand's monarchy the real source of all these problems — and will anyone talk about that?

Cambodian director Rithy Panh will be in Los Angeles for the Oscars on Sunday. His film, "The Missing Picture," is the first film from Cambodia ever to be nominated for an Academy Award. It's Rithy Panh's own personal memories of spending four years of his childhood living in a labor camp under the Khmer Rouge, watching as almost every member of his family died.

Anti-government protesters in Thailand have ended a week-long occupation of Bangkok airport...and it's now set to reopen. The World's Traci Tong tells us why that's good news for the tourist industry in Hawaii.

The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the Preah Vihear temple belongs to Cambodia, rejecting Thai claims. Now Cambodia's World Heritage bid reignited Thai resentment and there have been small armed clashes. Mary Kay Magistad reports.

A recent uptick in fighting between the Myanmar military and Kachin Independence Army has brought long-simmering tensions back to the surface, and highlights how much work remains to be done as the country tries to shed its militarized past.

Cambodian director Rithy Panh will be in Los Angeles for the Oscars on Sunday. His film, "The Missing Picture," is the first film from Cambodia ever to be nominated for an Academy Award. It's Rithy Panh's own personal memories of spending four years of his childhood living in a labor camp under the Khmer Rouge, watching as almost every member of his family died.

Edible insects are celebrated for being environmentally friendly and also potentially quite tasty. And now they're going mainstream, with the Dutch grocery store Jumbo getting ready to put them on the shelves.

In New Hampshire, it wasn't always this easy to get mangosteens and other produce from Asia and Africa. But with immigrant communities growing in the area, some locals are finding ways to get familiar foods from back home onto the plates of Nepalese, Bhutanese and other immigrants here in the US..

Hiking was never fun for Van Pol when he was a child: It brought back fearful memories of his family's escape from Cambodia and into refugee camps. It wasn't until a high school field trip to a New Hampshire peak that hiking became Van's salvation.

We hear about dog meat in restaurants in China and Vietnam, but we don't often hear about people eating cat meat. But Vietnamese officials are trying to clamp down on that country's burgeoning market for cat meat. That story and more in today's Global Scan.

Under pressure by the US government and American evangelicals, the Thai government has stepped up raids to rescue sex trafficking victims. The trouble is, many of the "rescued" sex workers may not have been trafficked in the first place.

Press freedom in the Kingdom of Thailand is limited, so one group has turned to an online comedy newscast to report on the political turmoil in the country. It's more slapstick than The Daily Show, but that helps it slide by potential government critics.

Thailand has endured months of political turmoil. This week, the military decided it had enough and declared martial law. There are whispers of another military coup. Is Thailand's monarchy the real source of all these problems — and will anyone talk about that?

Many a tourist to Italy has relished the country's famous pizza. But could that pizza be dangerous? An Italian TV news report says so — but the pizza industry is crying foul. That story and more in today's Global Scan.

Science fiction has long envisioned "tractor" beams that could grab and move physical objects using a laser or other stream of energy. Now scientists have created one, at least on a small scale. And we have some advice if you use heat in the winter. Most Brits, and many of us, apparently don't know how to use our thermostats. Also, Chinese officials go on a worldwide corruption hunt, in today's Global Scan.